Hezbollah has announced that it has entered an “open-ended battle” against Israel, following a series of rocket attacks on northern Israel. This escalation has prompted global leaders to urge both sides to avoid a full-scale war.
In response to the conflict, Israeli warplanes conducted their most intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon in nearly a year. Hezbollah retaliated with its strongest rocket attacks into Israel since the start of the Gaza war. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned that Lebanon could become “another Gaza.”
During a funeral for a Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli strike, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, declared that they are prepared to face any military challenges. He emphasized, “Threats will not stop us.”
As Israeli airstrikes targeted border villages, over 100,000 residents fled north. Authorities reported four people killed and nine injured over the weekend. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel would not tolerate attacks on its civilians and promised to restore security.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that hundreds of rockets were fired from Lebanon, with some landing near Haifa, injuring six people. The UN’s special coordinator for Lebanon stressed that there is no military solution to the crisis
In Lebanon, recent attacks have had devastating consequences. An Israeli strike killed ten people, including three children and seven women, targeting top Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil. Earlier this week, a series of blasts attributed to Israel killed 42 people and injured over 3,000.
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The ongoing conflict between the IDF and Hezbollah is occurring alongside the severe situation in Gaza, where an Israeli airstrike killed seven people at a school sheltering displaced individuals. The Palestinian death toll has exceeded 41,000 since the conflict began, with many being civilians.
World leaders are calling for a ceasefire. U.S. officials have indicated that escalating the conflict is not in Israel’s interest. The EU and UK have echoed calls for urgent ceasefire and diplomatic efforts.
